THE designers of Wembley, Tottenham’s new stadium and The Sphere in Las Vegas have been appointed to design a League One club’s new stadium.
Populous are the world-leading sports and entertainment architects with more than 3,500 projects around the globe.
And Leyton Orient enlisted their expertise for a new ground.
The O’s have played at their 9,000-capacity Brisbane Road home in East London since 1937.
But in October, they confirmed a planning process with the local council was underway to regenerate the area.
And now another major update sees the hiring of Populous to oversee the epic project.
The firm will lead the design of a “world-class” new stadium aimed at matching and driving the club’s on-pitch ambitions.
Consultation sessions with fans will be staged in the coming months while Orient and the London Borough of Waltham Forest council hope to identify a suitable site.
The new stadium will be the home of both the men’s and women’s Leyton Orient teams.
As well as the stadium, a multi-sport campus is also part of the plans plus a public hub with retail, hospitality and leisure facilities to benefit the local community.
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Currently 12th in League One, Leyton Orient want to establish themselves as a Championship club – even though they have not competed in the second tier since 1982.
Leyton Orient majority shareholder David Gandler said: “Appointing Populous is a major milestone and a clear statement of our ambition.
“We’re building a world-class, multi-sport campus that honours Leyton Orient’s heritage while creating a vibrant, affordable, technology-driven destination for our fans and our community.
“This will be a home that inspires not just for today, but for generations.”
Populous will now begin a feasibility and master planning phase, assisting Orient consult with fans, residents, planning authorities and other stakeholders.
They will also present emerging designs as and when they are ready to be shared.
Declan Sharkey, Senior Principal and Global Director at Populous, said: “We are honoured to partner with Leyton Orient at such a defining moment in their journey.
“Our vision is to design a unique stadium and mixed-use development that celebrates the club’s heritage while embracing the future, blending world-class sporting architecture and digital innovation with a vibrant, community-driven neighbourhood.
“Together, we will create a new landmark for East London and beyond.”
Populous – who are planning the world’s biggest football stadium – recently redeveloped Strasbourg’s Stade de la Meinau for £160million.
Three of the stands were significantly updated while a brand-new 11,712-seater South Stand opened this season.
In a piece of never-seen-before, world-first architectural genius, Populous incorporated 30 decommissioned Airbus A340 aeroplane fuselages – split into 196 aluminium segments – on to the exterior facade to act as a sun shield.